


after the deluge, us

by contradictory_existence



Category: Good Omens (TV), Good Omens - Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, happy beginnings and middles too, let me just astral project my emotions into the abyss, tenderness and playing with hair are my weaknesses, they deserve happy endings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-15
Updated: 2019-10-15
Packaged: 2020-12-16 13:15:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 885
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21036821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/contradictory_existence/pseuds/contradictory_existence
Summary: it’s new, this thing between them. lines redrawn and borders crossed, walls dismantled brick by brick. some days it feels like the dam of it is about to burst and unleash a flood. no survivors, just the deluge and him and empty ruins.crowley is no good at this.





	after the deluge, us

it’s new, this thing between them. lines redrawn and borders crossed, walls dismantled brick by brick. some days it feels like the dam of it is about to burst and unleash a flood. no survivors, just the deluge and him and empty ruins.

crowley is no good at this. tonight he’s drowsy and the couch is soft and aziraphale has miracled a blanket for him and he can tell without opening his eyes that it’s tartan and he doesn’t even care. they’ve made up an old television in the back room that plays james bond and crowley is drifting off half way through skyfall. he can’t help himself. aziraphale is soft and warm and solid and he can feels aziraphale’s head on his where it’s resting on the angel’s shoulder with an arm holding him close. he feels like the luckiest damn bastard in the world. he lets his spine twist and his body sag and he’s somehow made it into aziraphale’s lap and oh no. oh fuck. they’ve never done _ this _ before.

crowley’s dreamed of this, of course, but never did he dare imagine that it could be a reality. it’s intimate and he’s never felt so exposed, like all the seas have receded and left him gasping on the shore and he wants to curl up and hide. foolish, he knows, he shouldn’t have pushed his luck, he’s cocked it up for sure now. he waits for aziraphale to nudge him into an upright position, because he’s weak and wanting and selfish and he can’t do it himself. maybe a platitude about propriety and decorum to really make the lesson stick. a cold feeling of shame and dread starts to make its home at the bottom of his stomach.

aziraphale must feel him tense up, because he lays a soft hand on crowley’s shoulder. but he doesn’t shake, and he doesn’t push. instead, he lets his fingers travel down the curve of crowley’s spine, skimming over the ridges of his ribs to pet at his side. crowley wriggles slightly, half surprised and half ticklish, and aziraphale lets out an exhale that might be a laugh. his hand makes its way back up, lightly tracing the line of crowley’s jaw and cheek and ear before settling in his hair and carding through it. his fingers make lazy distracted circles, running through the strands and massaging gently into his scalp. crowley has never been so glad he doesn’t need to breathe.

_ you sleepy serpent, _ aziraphale says, quiet like crowley’s asleep but aware that he’s not. _ my darling, my dear heart. relax, love. it’s okay. i’ve got you. _

crowley’s breath shudders out of him as he lets himself melt into aziraphale’s lap, degree by degree, ready for the angel to change his mind. but he doesn’t, and crowley ends up leaning into aziraphale’s touch like a cat and he could almost cry at how good it feels.

careful not to shake aziraphale’s hand, crowley tilts his head a bit and cracks open one eye to peer up at the angel, who’s looking back at him with a look of infinite fondness. _ good morning, lovely, _aziraphale says, pleased.

_ ‘s almost midnight, _ crowley grumbles, just to be contrary and not meaning it in the slightest.

aziraphale hums absentmindedly. _ you know, _ he says, twisting a lock of crowley’s hellfire hair around two fingers and tugging lightly, _ if you want something, you can just ask, dearest. you are allowed to want things, crowley. _

crowley stops breathing again. _ not this, _ he chokes, squeezing his eyes shut and turning to hide his face in aziraphale’s waistcoat. _ never this. _

_ crowley. _aziraphale’s hand finds his cheek and gently urges him to meet his gaze, and crowley really wishes he didn’t because there’s such an overwhelming sadness in aziraphale’s eyes and he’s a right bastard for putting it there.

_ crowley, _ aziraphale repeats softly. _ it’s okay. you’re okay. i… _ he takes a breath here, looking up for a second before settling back on crowley. _ i don’t know why she cast you out, and i can’t truly understand the pain you went through. i wish i could. _

_ but you can want things, you can ask for things. i love your questions, crowley, they make me smile and they make me wonder and they make you, you. and i love you, crowley. and i’ll never leave you, and i’ll try my best to understand, i promise. goodness, i love you so. _

crowley nods slowly. he feels his breath catch in his throat, like his chest is cracking but in an oddly good way. he offers aziraphale a crooked half-smile. _ stay? _

aziraphale smiles and nods back. they settle together on the couch, negotiating arms and legs and wings in the ether, until crowley’s head is resting on aziraphale’s shoulder and aziraphale’s arms are wrapped tight around crowley. aziraphale presses a kiss into crowley’s hair. _ we’re alright, my dear. _

crowley nestles his head into the crook of aziraphale’s arm. _ love you, love you, love you. _

they lie there for a long while, chests rising and falling together, waves ebbing and flowing along the shore as the moon and the stars pass over them. when the sun rises, crowley rouses first, teases, _ g’morning, angel, _with flickering tongue and morning breath, and aziraphale laughs silently, and pulls him in a little closer.

**Author's Note:**

> tumblr: [contradictory-existence](https://contradictory-existence.tumblr.com/)


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